Paper bag construction



p 12, 1 3 H. A. WOLF 2,172,555

PAPER. BAG CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22, 1937 2 SheetsSheet l INVENTORHoward Q. IEZ'o C Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEPAPER BAG CONSTRUCTION Howard A. Wolf, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 22, 1937, Serial No. 144,129

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-68) The present invention relates to a new and usefulimprovement in the construction of paper bags and it relates moreparticularly to animproved construction for paper bags of the lockingand carrying type wherein an aperture is centrally provided near theopen end of the bag for receiving a locking tongue and for providing aconvenient handle whereby said bag may be carried by hand.

An object of the present invention is to increase the article-bearingcapacity of such paper :bags by increasing the useful depth of the bodyportion thereof without, however, requiring any increase in thedimensions of the paper blank from which the bag is formed.

A further object of the present invention is to increase the effectivelength of the open end closure flap of the bag at points along said openendremoved from the central locking means, 2 without however requiringany increase in the dimensions of the paper blank from which the bag isformed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a more secure andimproved locking means for bags of the aforesaid locking and carryingtype.

With the above and other objects in view; which may appear more fullyfrom the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, thepresent invention consists of a paper bag having juxtaposed panels and afoldable closure flap extending from one of said panels, the trans-Verse edge of said closure flap being concavely or inwardly curved andthe adjacent transverse edge of the other panel being complementarilyconvexly or protuberantly curved.

The present invention further consists of other novel features as wellas certain novel details of construction, all of, which appear morefully companying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in theaccompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred,since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as hereinshown and described.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicatelike parts:

Figure .1 represents a perspective View of one from the followingdetailed description and aci'orm of an improved bag embodying thepresent invention, with the closure flap thereof in an extended oropened position, and with the terminal transverse edges of the bag cutin a novel and improved manner.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the improved bag illustratedin Figure 1, with the closure flap thereof in'a folded or closedposition.

Figure 3 represents a perspective view of an unimproved bag having itsterminal transverse edges cut in a heretofore customary manner. I

Figure 4 represents a front elevational view of the bags shown inFigures-1 and 3, superposed upon each other, the-full lines indicatingthe improved bag shown in Figure 1, and the dashed lines indicating theunimproved bag shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a plan view of a paper blank from which a bag suchas that illustrated in Figure 1 may be formed.

Figure it represents a plan view of a paper blank from which a bag suchas that illustrated in Figure 3 may be formed.

One method of making the blanks from which paper bags are formedconsists in longitudinally feeding a continuous sheet or web of paperfrom a supply roll to a revolvable cylindrically mounted cut-oif knifewhich periodically cuts the paper web transversely as the knife-bearingcylinder rotates, thus forming a series of paper blanks.

The cutting edge of the cut-off knife is customarily arcuate or curvedin order to improve the cutting operation as will be readily understoodby one skilled in the art.

When the sheet of paper is severed by a stroke of the curved or arcuatecut-oil knife thus forming a paper blank, the two resultingcomplementarily curved transverse edges respectively form the trailingedge of said paper blank and the leading edge of the succeeding paperblank.

According to the present invention, the cut-off knife is preferablymounted in such a fashion as to concavely cut the terminal edge of theclosure flap end of the paper blank, and to convexly cut the opposedtransverse terminal edge of said paper blank, along complementarynonsinuate curves traversing the width of said paper blank.-

The paper blanks illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, from which merchandisebags such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, respectively, may beformed, both possess the following common features. The paper blank Imay be provided with the narrow folded longitudinal marginal portions8-8 which afford convenient strips to which adhesive may be applied forthe purpose of adhesively securing together the rear bag panel 9 and thefront bag panel I when the blank 1 is folded transversely on the foldline H. These two panels 9 and ID are of unequal longitudinal length,the rear panel 9 being sufficiently longer than the front panel Ill toprovide the closure flap I2 extending from the closure flap fold line I3to the adjoining transverse edge of the paper blank.

Reinforcing segments M and 5 may be centrally provided at opposite endsof the paper blank 1, in order to increase the strength of the baglocking and carrying means. The rear panel 9 and the front panel l0 maybe provided near their respective upper ends with aligned slottedapertures I 6 and I1, which serve a two fold purpose. The locking tonguel8 may be inserted through these juxtaposed slotted apertures l 6 and I1and folded along the locking tongue fold line l9, and in this manner thebag closure flap I 2 will be secured in its folded or bag closingposition. Ones fingers may then be inserted through these juxtaposedapertures l6 and I1 which thus afford a convenient bag-carrying handle.The locking tongue I8 is preferably provided with the end wingor tabsections 2020 which may be formed by partially slitting the end sectionsof 'the locking tongue l8 along the slit lines 2I2|,

and the locking tongue l8 may then be effectively retained in itslocking position (that is, when inserted through the slotted aperturesl6 and H) by virtue of the added length afforded it by-these end wings20-'-20 over the transverse length of the slotted apertures I6 and 11.

It has heretofore been customary for the bagforming paper blanks to becut so that the cut edge 22 of the open end closure flap l2 was convexor protuberant, and so that the upper cut edge 23 of the front panel I0was concave or incurved, as more particularly illustrated in Figures 3,4 and 6.

In the improved form of construction which forms the subject matter ofthe present invention, and one embodiment of which is illustrated inFigures 1, 2, 4 and 5, these arcuate or curved transverse edges aretransposed so that the cut edge 24 of the closure flap I2 is concavelyformed and so that the upper cut edge 25 of the front panel I0 isconvexly formed. When the rear and front bag panels 9 and H) are nowadhesively secured together the central part of the cut edge 25 of thefront panel I!) will be juxtaposed with the fold line l3 of the closureflap l2. The

outwardly curved single crest of the non-sinuately curved front paneledge will thus present a generally single-point land to the flap fold l3in the vicinity of the central locking means. This land more or lessoperatively meets the 'flaps fold when the closure flap is folded downover the free end of the front panel 10. The width of the handle-formingpaper bridge 26 lying immediately over the aperture I I will begenerally equal to the respective widths of the remaining handle-formingelements 2l--21 which lie between the upper edge of the slotted aperturel6 and the closure flap fold line l3, and between this same closure flapfold line l3 and the locking tongue fold line Hi. When the closure flapI2 is therefore folded along'its fold line l3, and the locking tongue I8is inserted through the slotted and aligned apertures l6 and I1 andfolded upwardly along its fold line l8, all as illustrated in Figure 2,the central locking and carrying means will then include the threeadjacent and generally coextensive handle-forming elements 26, 21, 21,the central one of which presents a generally single-point land to theflap fold line l3.

The locking means achieved by this manner of construction is farsuperior to that achieved by the constructions heretofore customarilyemployed, one of which has been illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 6. Thus,in the illustrated prior construction the presence of the concavely cuttransverse edge 23 at the end of the front panel In immediately abovethe transverse aperture l1 resulted in the formation of the gap 28between the recessed central part of this transverse edge 23 and theclosure flap fold line l3, and in the absence of a land for said closureflap fold line. The respective widths of theouter handle-formingelements 21'2l' exceeded the width of the handle-forming paper bridge26' included therebetween by an amount equal to the width of this gap28. The handle was therefore relatively flexible and the locking meansrelatively insecure due in part to the fact that the includedhandleforming bridge 26 was not confined along the two edges thereofagainst a relative sliding movement, and this bridge 26' therefore didnot add to the stiffness of the paper handle. By virtue of the hereinabove described construction however the tendency of the handle-formingelements to slide relative to each other is eliminated, and thestiffness of the combined handle (which may be considered as consistingof the elements 21, 26, 21 and perhaps I8) is greatly increased.

Furthermore, by eliminating the gap 28, the position of the transverseaperture l6 may be shifted further along the rear panel 9 and nearer tothe closure flap fold line l3 by a distance equal to the width of thisgap 28, and still provide ample material between the uppermost edge ofthe aperture l6 and the closure flap fold line l3 to overlap the paperbridge element 26. The position of the juxtaposed slotted aperture l1may be similarly shifted further along the front panel l0 and nearer tothe transverse edge 25 by a distance equal to the width of this gap 28without requiring a decrease in the width of the paper bridge element26, and this is rendered possible by the novel reversal of theneighboring rear panel terminal edge from a concave edge 23 to theconvex edge 25. The useful depth of the body portion of the bag may thusbe increased by an amount equal to the width of this gap 28 withoutrequiring an increase in the di mensions of the paper blank I, or asmore particularly illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the useful depth 29of the bag constructed in the improved manner exceeds the useful depth30 of a bag constructed in the unimproved manner by an amount equal tothe distance through which the positions of the slotted apertures havebeen permitted to shift along the bag panels 9 and In, said distancebeing determined by the width of the gap 28.

By virtue of this improved bag construction, moreover, an increase inthe length of the closure flap I2 is effected at those points along thebag opening where this increase is most desirable, that isat pointstherealong furthest removed from the central locking means. The tendencyfor the bag opening to gape or spread apart is most pronounced at thesepoints furthest removed from the central closure locking means and thisisespecially true where the paper bag is of a substantial width andwhere the articles within the bag are of a bulky charac-- ter, Thereversal of the curve of the closure flap cut edge increases theefl'ective length of the closure flap l2 in these end zones where anincrease in length is most desirable, at the expense of a decrease inthe length of the closure flap along the central zone thereof where flaplength is least important, and achieves this without requiring anincrease in the dimensions of the paper blank. This novel arrangement issuperior to the forms of construction heretofore known.

The foregoing advantages of improved central locking means, single-pointland for the flap fold line, increased useful depth of the bag, andincreased length of the closure flap at those points where this increaseis most desirable may readily be observed in Figure 4 of theaccompanying drawings wherein a bag constructed after the improvedmanner illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 has been superposed upon theunimproved bag more particularly illustrated in Figures 3 and 6; thefull lines representing the improved construction and the dashed linesrepresenting the unimproved construction.

Although the particular bag selected for illustration in theaccompanying drawings and described in detail hereinabove includes sideseams, it will be readily understood that the novel arrangement of aconcave flap edge and a convex panel edge which forms the subject matterof the present invention is susceptible of incorpodown over an open endof the bag to close the same.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it istherefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to theappended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A merchandise bag of the character described, having a front panel, arear panel and a foldable closure flap extending from and beyond saidrear panel and divided therefrom by an uninterrupted transverse foldline, said panels and said flap being formed from a single sheet ofpaper having opposite complementary con cavely curved and convexlycurved transverse edges, the concavely curved edge terminating theclosure flap end of said sheet comprising a single non-sinuate curvetraversing the width of said closure flap, and the convexly curved edgeterminating the front panel end of said sheet comprising a single'non-sinuate curve traversing the width of said front panel;the singlecurved crest of said convexly curved transverse sheet edge extendinggenerally up to, but not beyond, said uninterrupted flap fold linethereby to meet, but not project through, said fold line when saidclosure flap is operatively folded. over said front panel, and to serveas a generally single-point land for said fold line,

2. A merchandise bag of the character described having a front panel, arear panel and a foldable closure flap extending from and beyond saidrear panel and divided therefrom by an uninterrupted transverse foldline, said panels and said flap being formed from a single sheet ofpaper having opposite complementary inwardly curved and outwardly curvedtransverse. edges, the inwardly curved edge terminating the closure flapend of said sheet comprising a single nonsinuate curve traversing thewidth of said closure flap, and the outwardly curved edge terminatingthe front panel end of said sheet comprising a single non-slnuate curvetraversing the width of said front panel, the single curved crest ofsaid outwardly curved transverse sheet edge extending generally up to,but not beyond, said uninterrupted flap fold line thereby to meet, butnot project through, said fold line when said closure flap isoperatively folded over said front panel, and to serve as a generallysingle-point land for said fold line.

3. A paper merchandise bag having two side panels and a foldableend-closure flap formed in continuation of one of said two side panelsand divided therefrom by a transverse fold line, said flap having aninwardly curved transverse edge comprising a single non-sinuate curvetrav-- ersing the width of said flap, the other of said two side panelshaving an outwardly curved transverse edge comprising a singlenon-sinuate curve complementary to the aforesaid curve and traversingthe width of said panel;--the single curved crest of said outwardlycurved transverse edge generally extending only up to said transversefold line, thereby to present a single-point land for said fold linewhen said closure flap is operatively folded over said front panel.

4.-A merchandise bag of the character described having a single sheet ofpaper folded to form a front panel, a rear panel and a foldable closureflap, the free transverse ends of said front panel and of said closureflap each terminating in a single non-sinuate curve traversing the widthof said ends, the curved front panel edge being complementary to thecurved flap edge and being convexly formed and presenting the crestthereof as a single-point land for the closure flap fold line when theclosure flap is operatively folded down over said front panel.

5. A paper merchandise bag formed from a single folded sheet of paperand having a front panel, a rear panel, a foldable closure flap, thetransverse edges at the free end of said front panel and at the free endof said closure flap each being complementarily curved along a singlenon-sinuate curve traversing the widths thereof, the convexly curvededge being disposed at said free front panel end and having its crestpresenting a single-point land for the fold line separating the closureflap from said rear panel, said paper bag being provided with alignedtransversely slotted apertures disposed at the upper ends of said frontand rear panels, thereby providing handle-forming elements of generallyequal central width above said apertures, and said closure flap having alocking tongue struck from said flap at the free end thereof andfoldable through said apertures along a transverse fold line spaced fromthe flap fold line a distancegenerally equal to the central width ofsaid handle-forming elements, thereby to provide an additionalhandle-forming element generally equal in width to the aforesaidelements when said closure flap has been operatively folded to close theend of said bag and said locking tongue has been folded through saidapertures.

8. A merchandise bag formed from a single sheet of paper and including afront panel, a rear panel and Ioldable closure flap extending from andbeyond said rear panel, the transverse edges of said bag at the free endof said front 5 panel and at the free end of said closure flap eachbeing complementarily curved along a posed at the free end of saidclosure flap, where-' by the length of said closure flap increasesprogressively from the center towards both ends.

HOWARD A. WOLF.

